I am a fourth grade writing teacher seeking a grant to expand my classroom library to include engaging mentor texts to be used as models to enhance writing instruction.
This project will enable students to not only listen to great stories, but to use those stories to inspire and develop their own writing. Using mentor texts in conjunction with writing instruction will help students improve their style, grammar, and mechanics thereby strengthening communication skills and creating a lifelong appreciation for the craft of writing.
According to Jeff Anderson, author of Mechanically Inclined, “A mentor text is any text that can teach a writer about any aspect of writer’s craft, from sentence structure to quotation marks.” I will be using techniques found in Anderson’s book along with other resources which have lesson plans designed for teaching style, grammar, and mechanics using mentor sentences from picture books. Having quick access to engaging mentor texts in the classroom will make planning and implementing instruction easier. By creating a library of accessible mentor texts that students can listen to, read, analyze, and model; I will achieve a classroom culture that will allow for the development of good communication skills necessary for college and career readiness, as well as foster a lifelong love and appreciation for writing.
I've tried to choose hardback or library bound editions for their extra durability, when possible, and have also requested two copies most books, so it can be shared within the classroom easier.
About my class
I am a fourth grade writing teacher seeking a grant to expand my classroom library to include engaging mentor texts to be used as models to enhance writing instruction.
This project will enable students to not only listen to great stories, but to use those stories to inspire and develop their own writing. Using mentor texts in conjunction with writing instruction will help students improve their style, grammar, and mechanics thereby strengthening communication skills and creating a lifelong appreciation for the craft of writing.
According to Jeff Anderson, author of Mechanically Inclined, “A mentor text is any text that can teach a writer about any aspect of writer’s craft, from sentence structure to quotation marks.” I will be using techniques found in Anderson’s book along with other resources which have lesson plans designed for teaching style, grammar, and mechanics using mentor sentences from picture books. Having quick access to engaging mentor texts in the classroom will make planning and implementing instruction easier. By creating a library of accessible mentor texts that students can listen to, read, analyze, and model; I will achieve a classroom culture that will allow for the development of good communication skills necessary for college and career readiness, as well as foster a lifelong love and appreciation for writing.
I've tried to choose hardback or library bound editions for their extra durability, when possible, and have also requested two copies most books, so it can be shared within the classroom easier.
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